Well known American TV personality, Jay Leno, who retired from the late night TV comedy show, The Tonight Show, early this year, began appearing in another show since September 14 named “The Jay Leno Show.” I want to believe that I have a sense of humor and like watching his programs. The new show is a light, entertaining show and captures Jay Leno’s typical personality. It is shown earlier in the night than similar programs on TV and so the show’s promoters say that it “becomes the first-ever entertainment program to be stripped across primetime on broadcast network television.”

However, it was only after my colleague Tencho Gyatso la mentioned about a “Tibetan design” on the new show’s set that I took a closer look the next time round. Lo and behold running as backdrops on two sides on the stage are sets of what we Tibetans would call double dorjees (crossed thunderbolts).

The Production Designer of the new studio layout is Brandt Daniels and he is shown on this video giving a tour of the same. The double dorjees can be seen clearly and at one stage he is specifically asked what these were. (This appears around 1:03 on the time).  To my surprise, the designer merely said it was some “architectural elements” which blended the old and the new.  Could it be a coincidence that the design that he came out as a blend of the old and the new came similar to the double dorjees.  You be the judge.